Morocco is holding between 40 and 60 days’ worth of diesel and butane in reserve and has seen no disruption to domestic supplies despite turmoil in Middle Eastern energy markets, the government said on Wednesday, as another increase in pump prices put the cost of fuel back in focus.
A ministerial committee monitoring the economic fallout from tensions in the Middle East said imports and supplies were proceeding normally, with agricultural goods and other basic commodities also reaching the market without disruption.
The assurance came on the same day distributors prepared another increase at the pump. Diesel was due to rise by 80 centimes a liter around midnight Wednesday, with petrol going up 39 centimes. In Casablanca, that would take diesel above DH16 a liter.
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Direct support to road transport operators will continue, with the amount tied to increases in hydrocarbon prices, according to the statement issued after Wednesday’s meeting.
The scheme is meant to absorb part of the increase faced by passenger and freight operators, keeping goods moving without feeding the full rise in fuel costs into transport fares. The Transport and Logistics Ministry opened the latest 30-day round of exceptional support on Sept 24.
Higher international hydrocarbon prices have already been working their way through Morocco’s filling stations. Wednesday night’s expected increase would take the cumulative rise in diesel since mid-July to around DH3.54 a liter.
